


The Day You Were Born

by ginnekomiko



Series: The Sum of Zero and Five [7]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Dismemberment, M/M, Ribbons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 18:11:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18609817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginnekomiko/pseuds/ginnekomiko
Summary: Niles doesn't like to make a big deal about his birthday and Sheng respects that (mostly).





	The Day You Were Born

Niles knew Sheng was up to something. One of the others must have told him what today was, because his lover was trying _really_ hard to find different ways to make him feel special without making a big fuss about today being his birthday.

“Are you trying to be sneaky about _celebrating_ something today?” he asked.

That small, sheepish smile in response told Niles everything. “A little, yes. The others said today was not something you celebrated for yourself. I know how that feels, and I wanted to respect that, but I also happen to think the day that you were born is a good day! We should have nice things on some of the good days, don’t you think?”

“Such as?” Niles prompted.

Sheng hurried to grab something from the counter. He placed it on the table and lifted up the cloth cover.

“This cake is probably not worthy; it is full of mistakes, but it is meant to be a small treat.”

That poor lopsided mess. The smooshed strawberry on top just made it look sadder.

Niles hid his smile with his hand. “Did something happen while you were making it or…?”

Sheng blushed and looked away for a moment. “I got… self-conscious. Others came in while I was practicing my baking, and they started teasing me in a way I did not like. They called me your wife and saying that, ‘small hands mean small other things!’ So, I threw the cake pan at them before I put it in the oven, and it turned out like this….”

This, from a man who not three days earlier, presented him with the bloody, dismembered finger of a thug who had tried to cheat him out of some crucial information on a target, putting his life in danger.

“Would you prefer their teeth or their tongues, babe? I’ll bring back whatever you wish.”

Sheng grinned. “No need! I collected a few teeth on my own! The fools did not think I could fight. How was it phrased… something about toys and candy? Anyway, it did not sound like they were being nice.”

“Ah, so I should look for any new gaps in the mouths of my crew, huh?” Niles took a bite of the cake. “Hmm. This is pretty good! It’s not too sweet. Did you do that on purpose?”

“Yes. I was not sure if you liked the sweet things with the frosting and the sprinkles.”

Niles thought for a moment. “Only if you made it for me. I’ve liked everything you’ve cooked so far.”

“Really? Very well, for next year, then.”

Niles paused. Would they even still be dating a year from now?

Sheng wiggled in his chair after he tried a bite for himself. He seemed pleased with the results of his cake.

Yeah, barring anything drastic, he could see them still being together to celebrate his next birthday.

Sheng played around with his fork. “I was also um, planning on surprising you a little during our alone time tonight, but presenting oneself wrapped up in nothing but ribbons is a little much for just a normal evening, yes?”

Niles swallowed his bite and put his hand to his nose. Was he being serious? He cleared his throat. “Well, if it’s just between us… I wouldn’t mind that kind of present on my birthday.”

Sheng beamed. Once the dishes were done, he led Niles back into their shared bedroom. “Close your good eye and count slowly, like we are playing hide and seek! I will be prepared by the time you reach one-hundred. Don’t peek!”

If it were anyone else, there was no way Niles would have played along with this. “One… two… three…” As he counted, he listened to the sound of Sheng’s quick footsteps and the rustling of his clothes. “I’ve reached one-hundred; are you ready?”

“Yes!”

Sheng was grinning at him when Niles opened his eye again. His lover really had wrapped himself all up in different colored cloth ribbons. Some of them draped across him in such a way that the scars on Sheng’s body seemed to be part of the design. The bows on his wrists and ankles were a nice touch.

“Would you like to pose me?” Sheng asked.

Niles grinned back at him. He had been hoping for the invitation. “I would! What words should I look out for?”

Sheng thought for a moment. “I’m thinking ‘more’ and ‘less.’ Simple is good for this.”

The posing game started a few months back. Sheng had been stretching out his muscles in preparation for a dance routine, and Niles had said something racy to get a rise out of him, he couldn’t remember what, but Sheng fired back with a similar invitation to pose him to see just how far he could bend himself.

Watching the ribbons ripple across Sheng’s body as Niles moved his limbs around was strangely soothing, not to mention alluring. Every time a new peek of skin was exposed, Niles kissed it. Sometimes chastely, sometimes not. It was only when the ribbons were too disheveled to continue that they took their antics to the bed. They played a different game then, connecting the two ends of the ribbons to each other, tangling their bodies in warmth and color.

Niles rubbed Sheng’s head with his fingers. The red ribbon was still connecting their wrists. “Hey, thank you.”

“For what, aiwo? This is my way of saying ‘thank you for being born.’ If you were not, then we’d have never met, and I wouldn’t be as happy as I am right now. I like you, and this happiness.”

Niles pulled him closer. Now, if only he could convince Sheng to pick a birthday for himself, so that he could say, “thank you for being born,” in his own way.


End file.
